Young Adult books that keep you coming back.

Tag Archives: Nicholas Flamel

Michael Scott has crafted a fantasy series based on names and locations that bear significant weight in history. This series is about twins that get swept up into the dangerous and magical world of Nicholas Flamel. If anyone thinks to themselves “Oh, that’s the guy from Harry Potter,” then you need to know that Nicholas Flamel was a real person. He does not only exist in Harry Potter! With that said, the newest installment of the series is called The Necromancer, which continues to story of Sophie and Josh Newman.

Since I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I’ll talk about the first book from the series: The Alchemyst. This is the book that begins the adventure. Sophie and Josh start their day going to their respective jobs across the street from each other. Soon, they discover that everything they learned from history books, from their archeologist parents, from school, is not true. The gods and goddesses of ancient lore exist and they are angry with the human race. Some want to destroy it while others simply do not care. Sophie and Josh discover that they hold the power to stop the downfall of the human race, even at fifteen. The twins are told that they have rare and powerful auras (fields of energy that surrounds their bodies). Josh has a pure gold aura while Sophie has pure silver.

I love this series. It’s exciting and constantly keeps me on the edge. Scott is immensely knowledgeable in history as well as mythology. He masterfully weaves together creatures and historical figures into a seamless history. I love the pace he’s taking to reveal the secrets, too. Just enough information is being released to keep the readers interested and just enough is being withheld to make the reader long for the next installment. The teaser chapters at the end of the novels are also fantastic touches. Scott gives the reader a taste of what’s going to come and it’s delicious. A wonderful thing about this series is that it fuels my desire for travel. He describes beautiful places all over the world and while I see them in his writing, I want to see them for myself.

The Necromancer was the most breath catching release of the series yet. I worried for the characters and whooped for joy when they escaped their predicaments. I felt the same doubts and concerns when Sophie and Josh learn new information. The secrets are coming out all over the place and there is still so much more I need to know. I need to know which path the twins will choose, is Perenelle all that she says she is, why did Danu Talis fall, and everything else these characters are hiding. This world of magic and mythical creatures fills me with joy. I recommend this series for anyone that is a big fan of Harry Potter or adventure in general.

The Necromancer will be officially released May 25th, 2010. It will be available at all the usual suspect book sellers (Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com). Check out Michael Scott’s web site here.